Serbia submits formal EU candidacy bid

Serbia is most welcome to join the European Union, as soon as possible. With its great spiritual and cultural heritage Serbia can contribute to form a Europe, built on Christian values of love, humility, tolerance and respect for all people.

@Louie. Unfortunately the last part of your remark doesn't show any sign of reality. As Carl Bildt said on the occasion of the Visa free traveling for Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro that he hoped that soon Albania and Bosnia could follow "but there is much work for those countries to do". He did not even mention KosovO as that "country" is far behind, unlike you think. To become a member of the EU will at least last another 10-15 years for KosovO when the situation will not change drastically. When will all those readers here understand and accept that the only country in the region going forward extremely fast towards the EU is Serbia. The prooves are everywhere so there is no use to denie that.

We fully support Serbian candidacy I would like to say you "Welcome in EU" as soon as possible.
You Serbians have great potential to the future.

Greets from Slovakia

Drzime palce

I think its good that Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro will join the EU. Sooner rather than later hopefully. Sweden and all of Europe have been overrun by muslims and other poor foreigners who have little or nothing in common with our values. Perhaps I'm wrong but I'd rather see people from the Balkans in a future European nation than those from other continents. Europe is after all a Christian continent and I hope it will remain so for a little longer.

Good luck Serbia!

I am amazed that after blaming EU for everything,now Serbia wants to become e member of the same EU!

I think the EU will fail very soon as to many countries joined already were not ready at all,so in my opinion if Romania and Bulgaria joined already,then Serbia has a right to apply and very soon Kosova will join as we are not so behind!!!

I wish Serbia all the best joining EU ,same to Kosova even though I am a bit sceptic that it is going to work!

From a freezing London,
Merry Christmas&Happy New
Year 2010!
(louie, 22 December 2009 11:31)

HEY Lou Lou
I think you brain must be frozen and you are not thinking straight how can kosovo apply to the EU when it cannot even supply power to the country without buying it from abroad? What does Kosovo export? What is the status of investments in kosovo? All are Zero, until Pristina can wake up and smell the coffee they will not be applying anytime soon for the EU. The Dutch cannot be bought anymore and it is time to move on. Good Try LOU,

Regardless, todays event , Kosovo will join the EU before Serbia.

For Kosovo there is a short-cut,,....and that is called EULEX (you like or not).

The Ahtisari proposed teh EULEX in order for Kosovo in about 6-7 years to join the EU.

Wait and see (again)....

Serbia has a guranteed date of the entry...that is 2020-1...subject to the apporval from Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo...

Very smart strategy! If Serbia enters EU before Kosovo. That means Kosovo might never be able to join EU even if it gets a seat in the UN. That alone could force Kosovo to consider some Union with Serbia if it´s aspirations truly are to enter EU. Or who knows if Serbia joins EU before, might as well force a Union between Kosovo and Albania.

The western regime in Belgrade has done what it was bought and paid for, no surprises there...

If the Serbs however, has anything to say about this, prepare yourselves to say it over and over again. €USSR will not take no for an answer. It´s your land your culture and your faith they are after, give them a tough lesson!

Congratulations Serbia. Albania is some months before you, but you'll cath up soon!

Mircea/B92:

Recent polls in Iceland shows a 77% against joining the union and abandoning it´s rich waters to €USSR´s devastating fishing fleet.

Nice try, Iceland will remain free.

Congrats to Serbia -- first Shengen list, now this -- well done!

As always, there will be positive and negative tradeoffs, but the net effect to Serbia's economy will be good, just wait and see.

Good luck Serbia!

I am amazed that after blaming EU for everything,now Serbia wants to become e member of the same EU!

I think the EU will fail very soon as to many countries joined already were not ready at all,so in my opinion if Romania and Bulgaria joined already,then Serbia has a right to apply and very soon Kosova will join as we are not so behind!!!

I wish Serbia all the best joining EU ,same to Kosova even though I am a bit sceptic that it is going to work!

From a freezing London,
Merry Christmas&Happy New
Year 2010!

Godspped to Serbia in its road to Europe. May all Ballkans join EU and spring into action to develope economocally and raise the standard of living for its peoples. May peace and prosperity reign throughout. May borders disappear and the whole region may become an example of before and after for good.

Tell same powers that are trying to take Serbian land away from Serbia, Adrian, would never allow the Albanians to unite any kind of land areas in the Balkans. The Albanian dream of some sort of Albanian dynasty is just that, a dream. The US/EU does not want any ethnic group getting too strong in the Balkans anymore.

louie,

Good to see you again here. :)

There was a good program about this on Swedish radio today. If all goes according to plan it seems Serbia will become member of EU in 2014. They even mentioned a good date. St Vitus day (28 June, Vidovdan) because that marks exactly 100 years since the Gavrilo Princip shots in Sarajevo. It has become something like a tradition in Serbia for important events to happen on Vidovdan.

I was right about the date. Today, 22 December, Serbia submitted the application for EU candidate status. Exactly as my contacts told me.

I knew from well informed people in Brussels that Serbia will submit the application for EU candidate status on 22 December.

Per Johansson
=============

Those values you mentioned are universal, not Christian alone.

As far as religions go, I'd like you to name one mainstream religion that does not emphasize those values as virtues.

With regard to the article... congratulations to Serbia for getting the white Schengen and good luck with the EU accession process.

On a side note... I feel sorry for the poor souls working to fill out a 2000+ question questionnaire ;-).

I feel a rejection coming up and rightly so.
Serbs don't need the EU, Tadic and Co using Kosovo as a baiting tactic.
Tadic needs to help the Serbs in Kosovo and stop playing games with EU.
Whatever happened to only unity can save Serbs, seems that Serbs from Serbia are looking after their own behinds, who cares about Kosovo Serbs, Bosnian and Croatian Serbs... shameful...
Anyways can't wait for B92 write about the Rejection!

@Joe, if you don't care why you write then? You care!
@PRN and Mircea. It really seems, and I am repeating myself, that you or don't read, or don't understand. Mircea, if Rumania can be a member why not any, and I repeat, any! other country on the Balkan can become a member. Before writing here it would be better for your own country to take care of the humiliating way children are treated there in orphanages, just as one example. Better to clean your own street before doing it somewhere else.
PRN, you really have no clue what is going on don't you? Albania and for sure not Kosovo can stop Serbia becoming a member of the EU. As it is made very clear by the Swedish presidency on the EU, Serbia has a good chance to become a member in 2014.The names of countries like Albania are not even mentioned and that is normal as they have not even asked officially to become a member. And Kosovo, better not to speak about that. Your remark PRN, shows at least that you think that Kosovo is governed by EULEX. I thought you were independent?

B92,

Concerning the EC questionnaire, I have something to add to your article.

If Serbia's application for EU candidate status gets the approval of the EU Council of Ministers, the application is then forwarded to the European Commission.

The European Commission then gives Serbia the EC questionnaire.

Montenegro and Iceland already submitted the answers on the EC questionnaire to the European Commission.

B92,

Concerning the EC questionnaire, I have something to add to your article.

If Serbia's application for EU candidate status gets the approval of the EU Council of Ministers, the application is then forwarded to the European Commission.

The European Commission then gives Serbia the EC questionnaire.

Montenegro and Iceland already submitted the answers on the EC questionnaire to the European Commission.
(Mircea, 22 December 2009 13:32)

Absolutaley right Mircea.
Albania just received a 2280 page questioner, so how can Serbia submitt something that has not been answered yet?
(Kosova-USA, 22 December 2009 16:25)
Kosovo-USA and Mircea you were not on on the distribution list that is why you were not informed.

B92,

Concerning the EC questionnaire, I have something to add to your article.

If Serbia's application for EU candidate status gets the approval of the EU Council of Ministers, the application is then forwarded to the European Commission.

The European Commission then gives Serbia the EC questionnaire.

Montenegro and Iceland already submitted the answers on the EC questionnaire to the European Commission.
(Mircea, 22 December 2009 13:32)

Absolutaley right Mircea.
Albania just received a 2280 page questioner, so how can Serbia submitt something that has not been answered yet?

Joe, what is it you have against Serbs and why do you embrace Albanians? Did you live somewhere here in Kosovo? Just trying to understand what is at stake for you regarding all things Serbian...

The closest I came to Kosovo was my visite to Dubrovnik and Caftat (small idyllic town close to Montenegro).
Why do I embrasse the K-Albanians? Very simply out of a sence of justice. For what they went through only in 1999 during the organized state-terror against them they would deserve their freedom and independence. If they would not be Albanians but an other ethnicity I would still feel the same because a right sence of justice can not be partial.
What bothers me with the Serbs? It is very simple. The still lacking egality in justice in Vojvodina for ethnic Hungarians (I have example for it). Going into the EU on the fast track as it will be the case for Serbia this inegality in front of Justice will remain. The EU seems to have abandoned its principles. The main thing is to get additional markets for the industries of Western Europe. This was already the case for the Eastern European countries, who joined the union few years ago. The citizens of those countries are treated in many respect as second class citizens. In the USA there is fortunately not such a differentiation.
(Joe, 23 December 2009 15:27)

Joe - was you in Kosovo in 80's?? I show You some words from AMERICAN "New York Tomes" from 1987:

"The current hostilities pit separatist-minded ethnic Albanians against the various Slavic populations of Yugoslavia and occur at all levels of society, from the highest officials to the humblest peasants.

A young Army conscript of ethnic Albanian origin shot up his barracks, killing four sleeping Slavic bunkmates and wounding six others."

"Ethnic Albanians in the Government have manipulated public funds and regulations to take over land belonging to Serbs. And politicians have exchanged vicious insults.

Slavic Orthodox churches have been attacked, and flags have been torn down. Wells have been poisoned and crops burned. Slavic boys have been knifed, and some young ethnic Albanians have been told by their elders to rape Serbian girls."

"The goal of the radical nationalists among them, one said in an interview, is an ''ethnic Albania that includes western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, part of southern Serbia, Kosovo and Albania itself.'' That includes large chunks of the republics that make up the southern half of Yugoslavia."

" Last summer, the authorities in Kosovo said they documented 40 ethnic Albanian attacks on Slavs in two months. In the last two years, 320 ethnic Albanians have been sentenced for political crimes, nearly half of them characterized as severe. "

"In one incident, Fadil Hoxha, once the leading politician of ethnic Albanian origin in Yugoslavia, joked at an official dinner in Prizren last year that Serbian women should be used to satisfy potential ethnic Albanian rapists. After his quip was reported this October, Serbian women in Kosovo protested, and Mr. Hoxha was dismissed from the Communist Party. "

" Ethnic Albanians already control almost every phase of life in the autonomous province of Kosovo, including the police, judiciary, civil service, schools and factories. Non-Albanian visitors almost immediately feel the independence - and suspicion - of the ethnic Albanian authorities. "

"While 200,000 Serbs and Montenegrins still live in the province, they are scattered and lack cohesion. In the last seven years, 20,000 of them have fled the province, often leaving behind farmsteads and houses, for the safety of the Slavic north. "


So mr Joe?? Who organized terror in Kosovo in 80's???? Should Milosević delegalize albanian autonomous government who doing NOTHING with these events or only watching for more and more albanian attacks against ethnic Serbs in Kosovo?? Look at all context of situation in Kosovo - becouse You only giving albanian propaganda.

Very good news for Serbia , the Serbian membership application is important not only for Serbia , its important for the entire region.
One of the most important thing that remains for Serbia towards the EU is to arrest the two suspected war criminals starting with Mladic.

Cheers!

The closest I came to Kosovo was my visite to Dubrovnik and Caftat (small idyllic town close to Montenegro).
Why do I embrasse the K-Albanians? Very simply out of a sence of justice. For what they went through only in 1999 during the organized state-terror against them they would deserve their freedom and independence. If they would not be Albanians but an other ethnicity I would still feel the same because a right sence of justice can not be partial.
What bothers me with the Serbs? It is very simple. The still lacking egality in justice in Vojvodina for ethnic Hungarians (I have example for it). Going into the EU on the fast track as it will be the case for Serbia this inegality in front of Justice will remain. The EU seems to have abandoned its principles. The main thing is to get additional markets for the industries of Western Europe. This was already the case for the Eastern European countries, who joined the union few years ago. The citizens of those countries are treated in many respect as second class citizens. In the USA there is fortunately not such a differentiation.
(Joe, 23 December 2009 15:27)

The western media brainwashing it's little people, we've got a fine example right here. Joe if you are going to comment on a sensitive subject like Kosovo you should take some time to do your own research.
I'm not just saying this because I'm Serb.
My grandfather lost his land in Kosovo back in the 1950s, forcefully taken by the Albanians and when my uncle in 1989 went back to claim it back he got attacked.
We don't need to get into personal experiences but i urge anyone that wants to comment on Kosovo to do their research.
Common sense is all you need, one question though, 100's of Orthodox Monasteries dating back to 1300s, if it was Albanian land why were they allowed to be built?

Well, if the EU wants Serbia, then it has to spell out exactly what it wants, at the cost of loosing its protoge Tadic.

Hadzic is a Serb, but does not hold a 'Serbian' name, something that no one seems to be bothered to remark on, though this reflects the power of propaganda and serbophobia in the 'free and democratic' media. Don't let facts get in the way of a good story! It's almost as if there was no intermarriage during the SFRY.

Short of political decisions (of the sort that let Bg & Ro in regardless of compliance with the EC body of law known as the acquis communautaire), techincally Serbia should be capable of joining the EU by the end of (nov.) 2014, when the revised voting rules within the EU institutions kick in, hence no malign one EU ms veto (Slovenia v. Croatia).

Stupid shadow games will continue to be played for media PR points until then.

January 2010 is the deadline for Ro & Bg to come up with the goods, i.e. when they were illegally allowed to join the EU in jan. 2007, they were given special dispensation of an extra three years to actually fulfill some of the most important parts of the acquis communautaire, namely Jutice and Home Affairs. It is almost inadmissible that the Commission will say that they haven't (regardless of the realities) because is would mark a public humiliation of the EC and its supposed 'rule of law' base entry criteria to the EU.

With this effectively undermined, further strict actions against Croatia, Serbia etc. will be seen, and correctly so, as hypocritical in the extreme.

At this point, the game is that the powers that be in Brussels are the ones to loose the game, short of extremely weak spines in Brussels. Now we will really see what Tadic is made of.
Rejecting Serbia's application means rejecting their boy him and their sponsored parties. The application will probably be accepted with 'provisos', i.e. the usual diplomatic massaging that is practiced.

As I have repeated many times here on B92, the longer Serbia is kept out, the longer the Balkans will remain in the doldrums.

That the Germans and British both support Serbia under Tadic speaks volumes. This is real politik par excellence. Despite the strategic strengthening of
Serbia's position (Gazprom, South Stream, good economic position and low rates of corruption and crime vis-a-vis the neighbors (go look up EUROPOL's most recent OCTA report for 2009 for the region), etc. etc.) and no longer being so hopelessly one-sided as in 1999, now the real caliber of Serb diplomacy will be tested.

If the 'EU' wants long term stability in the Balkans, then keeping Serbia out will be 'cutting off their noses despite their faces'. The question is, 'Are they that stupid?'.

Somehow I thought that the whole EU was happy to see Serbia's application until I read an article in "Die Welt" German newspaper under the headline " Serbians Bewerbung fur the EU ist zum Verzweifeln" (The application of Serbia is devastating). It goes on to list corruption and economic mismanagement in Serbia just like in Bulgaria, Rumania and Greece, countries accepted too early without complying with the conditions. Once those countries are in the union Brussels is incapable of doing anything about it. The article also lamante the fact that Serbia will be able to become a member without delivering Mladic. it also highlights the fact that more and more citizens of the 27 members have their doubts for a union, where the politicians can decide so unwisely. Personally I don't care about it. I am not a citizen of the EU and I don't care about its development.

Jason,

The closest I came to Kosovo was my visite to Dubrovnik and Caftat (small idyllic town close to Montenegro).
Why do I embrasse the K-Albanians? Very simply out of a sence of justice. For what they went through only in 1999 during the organized state-terror against them they would deserve their freedom and independence. If they would not be Albanians but an other ethnicity I would still feel the same because a right sence of justice can not be partial.
What bothers me with the Serbs? It is very simple. The still lacking egality in justice in Vojvodina for ethnic Hungarians (I have example for it). Going into the EU on the fast track as it will be the case for Serbia this inegality in front of Justice will remain. The EU seems to have abandoned its principles. The main thing is to get additional markets for the industries of Western Europe. This was already the case for the Eastern European countries, who joined the union few years ago. The citizens of those countries are treated in many respect as second class citizens. In the USA there is fortunately not such a differentiation.
(Joe, 23 December 2009 15:27)

Joe, fair enough. I disagree regarding some aspects of what you are saying but respect your opinion. Thanks you for sharing where you are coming from.

Come on guys leave Trianon Joe alone his pain is great. Watching us fight for Kosovo and not giving up like they gave up doestn make his kind feel better. Only even more bitter. Internet is cheap therapy.

Hi Joe

All the Serbian people ask is that you really research the Kosovo problem before forming an opinion. Don't take it from 24/03/1999. If you still feel the same so be it. There is much for us all to learn.

I think that Serbia moving closer towards joining the EU is a positive development for Serbia and the whole region. However Serbia is a country that is harboring two of the world's most wanted war criminals including Mladic who is responsible for the Srebrenica Genocide. The Serbian authorities know that to join the EU they will have to arrest and extradite him as international law dictates. I sincerely hope that the current government arrests Mladic and transfers him to the Hague this year or next year otherwise they will only have signed a useless piece of paper. Countries harboring war criminals can not become EU member states. As long as Serbia is one of those countries it will not be permitted to join the EU regardless of what Tadic, Jeremic, etc. say in public. It is time for Serbia to fulfill its international obligations so that it can move closer to the EU in a substantive way.

Did Serbia complete the SAA agreement that then should be ratified by all 27 parliaments??? Which is a big and mandatory step before application.

Albania waited for 2 years for the completion of the SAA; Croatia and FYROM about 1,5y.

Or perhaps we are skipping some steps here???

Anyhow, if I was Tadic I would use this political capital smartly for the next elections.

Or perhaps there are on sight new elections in Serbia after the ICJ rule??? which as we all know it will not satisfy the Serbian appetite.Did Serbia complete the SAA agreement that then should be ratified by all 27 parliaments??? Which is a big and mandatory step before application.

Albania waited for 2 years for the completion of the SAA; Croatia and FYROM about 1,5y.

Or perhaps we are skipping some steps here???

Anyhow, if I was Tadic I would use this political capital smartly for the next elections...

Or perhaps there are on sight new elections in Serbia after the ICJ rule??? which as we all know it will not satisfy the Serbian appetite.

Anyhow this move and the skipping of SAA should not be a surprise: Serbia has at least 6 countries in EU that are supporting her (Poland, Czeck, Slovak, Greece, Cyprus, Romania) + Italy with Berlusconi that is getting closer with Putin

P.S. FYI frans, Albania submitted the application this April i think and got the questionnaire on Oct/Nov.

Jason,

The closest I came to Kosovo was my visite to Dubrovnik and Caftat (small idyllic town close to Montenegro).
Why do I embrasse the K-Albanians? Very simply out of a sence of justice. For what they went through only in 1999 during the organized state-terror against them they would deserve their freedom and independence. If they would not be Albanians but an other ethnicity I would still feel the same because a right sence of justice can not be partial.
What bothers me with the Serbs? It is very simple. The still lacking egality in justice in Vojvodina for ethnic Hungarians (I have example for it). Going into the EU on the fast track as it will be the case for Serbia this inegality in front of Justice will remain. The EU seems to have abandoned its principles. The main thing is to get additional markets for the industries of Western Europe. This was already the case for the Eastern European countries, who joined the union few years ago. The citizens of those countries are treated in many respect as second class citizens. In the USA there is fortunately not such a differentiation.

Aleks,

I challenge you to tell us a date for Serbia's accession to the EU.

During the period 2000-2006 Romania undertook serious reforms in order to join the EU on 1 January 2007. The EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said this many times.

Regardless, todays event , Kosovo will join the EU before Serbia.

For Kosovo there is a short-cut,,....and that is called EULEX (you like or not).

The Ahtisari proposed teh EULEX in order for Kosovo in about 6-7 years to join the EU.

Wait and see (again)....

Serbia has a guranteed date of the entry...that is 2020-1...subject to the apporval from Albania, Croatia, and Kosovo...

We fully support Serbian candidacy I would like to say you "Welcome in EU" as soon as possible.
You Serbians have great potential to the future.

Greets from Slovakia

Drzime palce

I was right about the date. Today, 22 December, Serbia submitted the application for EU candidate status. Exactly as my contacts told me.

I knew from well informed people in Brussels that Serbia will submit the application for EU candidate status on 22 December.

Congratulations Serbia. Albania is some months before you, but you'll cath up soon!

The western regime in Belgrade has done what it was bought and paid for, no surprises there...

If the Serbs however, has anything to say about this, prepare yourselves to say it over and over again. €USSR will not take no for an answer. It´s your land your culture and your faith they are after, give them a tough lesson!

B92,

Concerning the EC questionnaire, I have something to add to your article.

If Serbia's application for EU candidate status gets the approval of the EU Council of Ministers, the application is then forwarded to the European Commission.

The European Commission then gives Serbia the EC questionnaire.

Montenegro and Iceland already submitted the answers on the EC questionnaire to the European Commission.

Serbia is most welcome to join the European Union, as soon as possible. With its great spiritual and cultural heritage Serbia can contribute to form a Europe, built on Christian values of love, humility, tolerance and respect for all people.

Good luck Serbia!

I am amazed that after blaming EU for everything,now Serbia wants to become e member of the same EU!

I think the EU will fail very soon as to many countries joined already were not ready at all,so in my opinion if Romania and Bulgaria joined already,then Serbia has a right to apply and very soon Kosova will join as we are not so behind!!!

I wish Serbia all the best joining EU ,same to Kosova even though I am a bit sceptic that it is going to work!

From a freezing London,
Merry Christmas&Happy New
Year 2010!

B92,

Concerning the EC questionnaire, I have something to add to your article.

If Serbia's application for EU candidate status gets the approval of the EU Council of Ministers, the application is then forwarded to the European Commission.

The European Commission then gives Serbia the EC questionnaire.

Montenegro and Iceland already submitted the answers on the EC questionnaire to the European Commission.
(Mircea, 22 December 2009 13:32)

Absolutaley right Mircea.
Albania just received a 2280 page questioner, so how can Serbia submitt something that has not been answered yet?

Jason,

The closest I came to Kosovo was my visite to Dubrovnik and Caftat (small idyllic town close to Montenegro).
Why do I embrasse the K-Albanians? Very simply out of a sence of justice. For what they went through only in 1999 during the organized state-terror against them they would deserve their freedom and independence. If they would not be Albanians but an other ethnicity I would still feel the same because a right sence of justice can not be partial.
What bothers me with the Serbs? It is very simple. The still lacking egality in justice in Vojvodina for ethnic Hungarians (I have example for it). Going into the EU on the fast track as it will be the case for Serbia this inegality in front of Justice will remain. The EU seems to have abandoned its principles. The main thing is to get additional markets for the industries of Western Europe. This was already the case for the Eastern European countries, who joined the union few years ago. The citizens of those countries are treated in many respect as second class citizens. In the USA there is fortunately not such a differentiation.

I think that Serbia moving closer towards joining the EU is a positive development for Serbia and the whole region. However Serbia is a country that is harboring two of the world's most wanted war criminals including Mladic who is responsible for the Srebrenica Genocide. The Serbian authorities know that to join the EU they will have to arrest and extradite him as international law dictates. I sincerely hope that the current government arrests Mladic and transfers him to the Hague this year or next year otherwise they will only have signed a useless piece of paper. Countries harboring war criminals can not become EU member states. As long as Serbia is one of those countries it will not be permitted to join the EU regardless of what Tadic, Jeremic, etc. say in public. It is time for Serbia to fulfill its international obligations so that it can move closer to the EU in a substantive way.

Good luck Serbia!

I am amazed that after blaming EU for everything,now Serbia wants to become e member of the same EU!

I think the EU will fail very soon as to many countries joined already were not ready at all,so in my opinion if Romania and Bulgaria joined already,then Serbia has a right to apply and very soon Kosova will join as we are not so behind!!!

I wish Serbia all the best joining EU ,same to Kosova even though I am a bit sceptic that it is going to work!

From a freezing London,
Merry Christmas&Happy New
Year 2010!
(louie, 22 December 2009 11:31)

HEY Lou Lou
I think you brain must be frozen and you are not thinking straight how can kosovo apply to the EU when it cannot even supply power to the country without buying it from abroad? What does Kosovo export? What is the status of investments in kosovo? All are Zero, until Pristina can wake up and smell the coffee they will not be applying anytime soon for the EU. The Dutch cannot be bought anymore and it is time to move on. Good Try LOU,

@Louie. Unfortunately the last part of your remark doesn't show any sign of reality. As Carl Bildt said on the occasion of the Visa free traveling for Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro that he hoped that soon Albania and Bosnia could follow "but there is much work for those countries to do". He did not even mention KosovO as that "country" is far behind, unlike you think. To become a member of the EU will at least last another 10-15 years for KosovO when the situation will not change drastically. When will all those readers here understand and accept that the only country in the region going forward extremely fast towards the EU is Serbia. The prooves are everywhere so there is no use to denie that.

Mircea/B92:

Recent polls in Iceland shows a 77% against joining the union and abandoning it´s rich waters to €USSR´s devastating fishing fleet.

Nice try, Iceland will remain free.

Aleks,

I challenge you to tell us a date for Serbia's accession to the EU.

During the period 2000-2006 Romania undertook serious reforms in order to join the EU on 1 January 2007. The EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said this many times.

Very good news for Serbia , the Serbian membership application is important not only for Serbia , its important for the entire region.
One of the most important thing that remains for Serbia towards the EU is to arrest the two suspected war criminals starting with Mladic.

Cheers!

I think its good that Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro will join the EU. Sooner rather than later hopefully. Sweden and all of Europe have been overrun by muslims and other poor foreigners who have little or nothing in common with our values. Perhaps I'm wrong but I'd rather see people from the Balkans in a future European nation than those from other continents. Europe is after all a Christian continent and I hope it will remain so for a little longer.

Somehow I thought that the whole EU was happy to see Serbia's application until I read an article in "Die Welt" German newspaper under the headline " Serbians Bewerbung fur the EU ist zum Verzweifeln" (The application of Serbia is devastating). It goes on to list corruption and economic mismanagement in Serbia just like in Bulgaria, Rumania and Greece, countries accepted too early without complying with the conditions. Once those countries are in the union Brussels is incapable of doing anything about it. The article also lamante the fact that Serbia will be able to become a member without delivering Mladic. it also highlights the fact that more and more citizens of the 27 members have their doubts for a union, where the politicians can decide so unwisely. Personally I don't care about it. I am not a citizen of the EU and I don't care about its development.

I feel a rejection coming up and rightly so.
Serbs don't need the EU, Tadic and Co using Kosovo as a baiting tactic.
Tadic needs to help the Serbs in Kosovo and stop playing games with EU.
Whatever happened to only unity can save Serbs, seems that Serbs from Serbia are looking after their own behinds, who cares about Kosovo Serbs, Bosnian and Croatian Serbs... shameful...
Anyways can't wait for B92 write about the Rejection!

Godspped to Serbia in its road to Europe. May all Ballkans join EU and spring into action to develope economocally and raise the standard of living for its peoples. May peace and prosperity reign throughout. May borders disappear and the whole region may become an example of before and after for good.

louie,

Good to see you again here. :)

There was a good program about this on Swedish radio today. If all goes according to plan it seems Serbia will become member of EU in 2014. They even mentioned a good date. St Vitus day (28 June, Vidovdan) because that marks exactly 100 years since the Gavrilo Princip shots in Sarajevo. It has become something like a tradition in Serbia for important events to happen on Vidovdan.

Did Serbia complete the SAA agreement that then should be ratified by all 27 parliaments??? Which is a big and mandatory step before application.

Albania waited for 2 years for the completion of the SAA; Croatia and FYROM about 1,5y.

Or perhaps we are skipping some steps here???

Anyhow, if I was Tadic I would use this political capital smartly for the next elections.

Or perhaps there are on sight new elections in Serbia after the ICJ rule??? which as we all know it will not satisfy the Serbian appetite.Did Serbia complete the SAA agreement that then should be ratified by all 27 parliaments??? Which is a big and mandatory step before application.

Albania waited for 2 years for the completion of the SAA; Croatia and FYROM about 1,5y.

Or perhaps we are skipping some steps here???

Anyhow, if I was Tadic I would use this political capital smartly for the next elections...

Or perhaps there are on sight new elections in Serbia after the ICJ rule??? which as we all know it will not satisfy the Serbian appetite.

Anyhow this move and the skipping of SAA should not be a surprise: Serbia has at least 6 countries in EU that are supporting her (Poland, Czeck, Slovak, Greece, Cyprus, Romania) + Italy with Berlusconi that is getting closer with Putin

P.S. FYI frans, Albania submitted the application this April i think and got the questionnaire on Oct/Nov.

The closest I came to Kosovo was my visite to Dubrovnik and Caftat (small idyllic town close to Montenegro).
Why do I embrasse the K-Albanians? Very simply out of a sence of justice. For what they went through only in 1999 during the organized state-terror against them they would deserve their freedom and independence. If they would not be Albanians but an other ethnicity I would still feel the same because a right sence of justice can not be partial.
What bothers me with the Serbs? It is very simple. The still lacking egality in justice in Vojvodina for ethnic Hungarians (I have example for it). Going into the EU on the fast track as it will be the case for Serbia this inegality in front of Justice will remain. The EU seems to have abandoned its principles. The main thing is to get additional markets for the industries of Western Europe. This was already the case for the Eastern European countries, who joined the union few years ago. The citizens of those countries are treated in many respect as second class citizens. In the USA there is fortunately not such a differentiation.
(Joe, 23 December 2009 15:27)

The western media brainwashing it's little people, we've got a fine example right here. Joe if you are going to comment on a sensitive subject like Kosovo you should take some time to do your own research.
I'm not just saying this because I'm Serb.
My grandfather lost his land in Kosovo back in the 1950s, forcefully taken by the Albanians and when my uncle in 1989 went back to claim it back he got attacked.
We don't need to get into personal experiences but i urge anyone that wants to comment on Kosovo to do their research.
Common sense is all you need, one question though, 100's of Orthodox Monasteries dating back to 1300s, if it was Albanian land why were they allowed to be built?

Congrats to Serbia -- first Shengen list, now this -- well done!

As always, there will be positive and negative tradeoffs, but the net effect to Serbia's economy will be good, just wait and see.

The closest I came to Kosovo was my visite to Dubrovnik and Caftat (small idyllic town close to Montenegro).
Why do I embrasse the K-Albanians? Very simply out of a sence of justice. For what they went through only in 1999 during the organized state-terror against them they would deserve their freedom and independence. If they would not be Albanians but an other ethnicity I would still feel the same because a right sence of justice can not be partial.
What bothers me with the Serbs? It is very simple. The still lacking egality in justice in Vojvodina for ethnic Hungarians (I have example for it). Going into the EU on the fast track as it will be the case for Serbia this inegality in front of Justice will remain. The EU seems to have abandoned its principles. The main thing is to get additional markets for the industries of Western Europe. This was already the case for the Eastern European countries, who joined the union few years ago. The citizens of those countries are treated in many respect as second class citizens. In the USA there is fortunately not such a differentiation.
(Joe, 23 December 2009 15:27)

Joe - was you in Kosovo in 80's?? I show You some words from AMERICAN "New York Tomes" from 1987:

"The current hostilities pit separatist-minded ethnic Albanians against the various Slavic populations of Yugoslavia and occur at all levels of society, from the highest officials to the humblest peasants.

A young Army conscript of ethnic Albanian origin shot up his barracks, killing four sleeping Slavic bunkmates and wounding six others."

"Ethnic Albanians in the Government have manipulated public funds and regulations to take over land belonging to Serbs. And politicians have exchanged vicious insults.

Slavic Orthodox churches have been attacked, and flags have been torn down. Wells have been poisoned and crops burned. Slavic boys have been knifed, and some young ethnic Albanians have been told by their elders to rape Serbian girls."

"The goal of the radical nationalists among them, one said in an interview, is an ''ethnic Albania that includes western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, part of southern Serbia, Kosovo and Albania itself.'' That includes large chunks of the republics that make up the southern half of Yugoslavia."

" Last summer, the authorities in Kosovo said they documented 40 ethnic Albanian attacks on Slavs in two months. In the last two years, 320 ethnic Albanians have been sentenced for political crimes, nearly half of them characterized as severe. "

"In one incident, Fadil Hoxha, once the leading politician of ethnic Albanian origin in Yugoslavia, joked at an official dinner in Prizren last year that Serbian women should be used to satisfy potential ethnic Albanian rapists. After his quip was reported this October, Serbian women in Kosovo protested, and Mr. Hoxha was dismissed from the Communist Party. "

" Ethnic Albanians already control almost every phase of life in the autonomous province of Kosovo, including the police, judiciary, civil service, schools and factories. Non-Albanian visitors almost immediately feel the independence - and suspicion - of the ethnic Albanian authorities. "

"While 200,000 Serbs and Montenegrins still live in the province, they are scattered and lack cohesion. In the last seven years, 20,000 of them have fled the province, often leaving behind farmsteads and houses, for the safety of the Slavic north. "


So mr Joe?? Who organized terror in Kosovo in 80's???? Should Milosević delegalize albanian autonomous government who doing NOTHING with these events or only watching for more and more albanian attacks against ethnic Serbs in Kosovo?? Look at all context of situation in Kosovo - becouse You only giving albanian propaganda.

Hi Joe

All the Serbian people ask is that you really research the Kosovo problem before forming an opinion. Don't take it from 24/03/1999. If you still feel the same so be it. There is much for us all to learn.

Per Johansson
=============

Those values you mentioned are universal, not Christian alone.

As far as religions go, I'd like you to name one mainstream religion that does not emphasize those values as virtues.

With regard to the article... congratulations to Serbia for getting the white Schengen and good luck with the EU accession process.

On a side note... I feel sorry for the poor souls working to fill out a 2000+ question questionnaire ;-).

Very smart strategy! If Serbia enters EU before Kosovo. That means Kosovo might never be able to join EU even if it gets a seat in the UN. That alone could force Kosovo to consider some Union with Serbia if it´s aspirations truly are to enter EU. Or who knows if Serbia joins EU before, might as well force a Union between Kosovo and Albania.

Tell same powers that are trying to take Serbian land away from Serbia, Adrian, would never allow the Albanians to unite any kind of land areas in the Balkans. The Albanian dream of some sort of Albanian dynasty is just that, a dream. The US/EU does not want any ethnic group getting too strong in the Balkans anymore.

Joe, what is it you have against Serbs and why do you embrace Albanians? Did you live somewhere here in Kosovo? Just trying to understand what is at stake for you regarding all things Serbian...

Jason,

The closest I came to Kosovo was my visite to Dubrovnik and Caftat (small idyllic town close to Montenegro).
Why do I embrasse the K-Albanians? Very simply out of a sence of justice. For what they went through only in 1999 during the organized state-terror against them they would deserve their freedom and independence. If they would not be Albanians but an other ethnicity I would still feel the same because a right sence of justice can not be partial.
What bothers me with the Serbs? It is very simple. The still lacking egality in justice in Vojvodina for ethnic Hungarians (I have example for it). Going into the EU on the fast track as it will be the case for Serbia this inegality in front of Justice will remain. The EU seems to have abandoned its principles. The main thing is to get additional markets for the industries of Western Europe. This was already the case for the Eastern European countries, who joined the union few years ago. The citizens of those countries are treated in many respect as second class citizens. In the USA there is fortunately not such a differentiation.
(Joe, 23 December 2009 15:27)

Joe, fair enough. I disagree regarding some aspects of what you are saying but respect your opinion. Thanks you for sharing where you are coming from.

Well, if the EU wants Serbia, then it has to spell out exactly what it wants, at the cost of loosing its protoge Tadic.

Hadzic is a Serb, but does not hold a 'Serbian' name, something that no one seems to be bothered to remark on, though this reflects the power of propaganda and serbophobia in the 'free and democratic' media. Don't let facts get in the way of a good story! It's almost as if there was no intermarriage during the SFRY.

Short of political decisions (of the sort that let Bg & Ro in regardless of compliance with the EC body of law known as the acquis communautaire), techincally Serbia should be capable of joining the EU by the end of (nov.) 2014, when the revised voting rules within the EU institutions kick in, hence no malign one EU ms veto (Slovenia v. Croatia).

Stupid shadow games will continue to be played for media PR points until then.

January 2010 is the deadline for Ro & Bg to come up with the goods, i.e. when they were illegally allowed to join the EU in jan. 2007, they were given special dispensation of an extra three years to actually fulfill some of the most important parts of the acquis communautaire, namely Jutice and Home Affairs. It is almost inadmissible that the Commission will say that they haven't (regardless of the realities) because is would mark a public humiliation of the EC and its supposed 'rule of law' base entry criteria to the EU.

With this effectively undermined, further strict actions against Croatia, Serbia etc. will be seen, and correctly so, as hypocritical in the extreme.

At this point, the game is that the powers that be in Brussels are the ones to loose the game, short of extremely weak spines in Brussels. Now we will really see what Tadic is made of.
Rejecting Serbia's application means rejecting their boy him and their sponsored parties. The application will probably be accepted with 'provisos', i.e. the usual diplomatic massaging that is practiced.

As I have repeated many times here on B92, the longer Serbia is kept out, the longer the Balkans will remain in the doldrums.

That the Germans and British both support Serbia under Tadic speaks volumes. This is real politik par excellence. Despite the strategic strengthening of
Serbia's position (Gazprom, South Stream, good economic position and low rates of corruption and crime vis-a-vis the neighbors (go look up EUROPOL's most recent OCTA report for 2009 for the region), etc. etc.) and no longer being so hopelessly one-sided as in 1999, now the real caliber of Serb diplomacy will be tested.

If the 'EU' wants long term stability in the Balkans, then keeping Serbia out will be 'cutting off their noses despite their faces'. The question is, 'Are they that stupid?'.

B92,

Concerning the EC questionnaire, I have something to add to your article.

If Serbia's application for EU candidate status gets the approval of the EU Council of Ministers, the application is then forwarded to the European Commission.

The European Commission then gives Serbia the EC questionnaire.

Montenegro and Iceland already submitted the answers on the EC questionnaire to the European Commission.
(Mircea, 22 December 2009 13:32)

Absolutaley right Mircea.
Albania just received a 2280 page questioner, so how can Serbia submitt something that has not been answered yet?
(Kosova-USA, 22 December 2009 16:25)
Kosovo-USA and Mircea you were not on on the distribution list that is why you were not informed.

@Joe, if you don't care why you write then? You care!
@PRN and Mircea. It really seems, and I am repeating myself, that you or don't read, or don't understand. Mircea, if Rumania can be a member why not any, and I repeat, any! other country on the Balkan can become a member. Before writing here it would be better for your own country to take care of the humiliating way children are treated there in orphanages, just as one example. Better to clean your own street before doing it somewhere else.
PRN, you really have no clue what is going on don't you? Albania and for sure not Kosovo can stop Serbia becoming a member of the EU. As it is made very clear by the Swedish presidency on the EU, Serbia has a good chance to become a member in 2014.The names of countries like Albania are not even mentioned and that is normal as they have not even asked officially to become a member. And Kosovo, better not to speak about that. Your remark PRN, shows at least that you think that Kosovo is governed by EULEX. I thought you were independent?

Come on guys leave Trianon Joe alone his pain is great. Watching us fight for Kosovo and not giving up like they gave up doestn make his kind feel better. Only even more bitter. Internet is cheap therapy.